Human Development Index

[Tor]

A composite index measuring average achievement in three basic dimensions of human development—a long and healthy life, knowledge and a decent standard of living

Link [undp.org]

Can anyone guess where I come from? ;)

[Sinner_G]

This index must be wrong. Not (only) because of the #1 spot, but mostly because the US are #7. Come on, I might accept that the standard of living for some people is ok, but healthy life? And knowledge? They must be kidding!

[Tor]

And Switzerland is number ....? ;)

[vitaplease]

Discount the oil benefits in the Algo and Norway is nowhere ;)

In general shouldn't weather be a more important factor in this index?
There goes Scandinavia..(its a human index isn't it?):)

[dragonlady7]

I guess I didn't appreciate Norway enough while i was there.
But then, I had mono, and it was Christmas, and it never stopped raining, I went for 2 weeks without seeing the sun, and I had a constant low-grade fever and joint pain, and booze was prohibitively expensive.
So maybe those factors inhibited my enjoyment... I should give it another shot.

[lazerzubb]

Vita what are you trying to say:
>>There goes Scandinavia..

Stepping a fine line here...

[vitaplease]

>>Stepping a fine line here...

that was the whole point ;)

21. Italy

My family in law would not agree and for once I think they are right.

[lazerzubb]

>> Italy

You never mess with the family.

[Fiver]

considering Canada used to be numero uno for this, for a while.. seven years in fact, it's really sad to see us a notch below the U.S. -- and a bit of a mystery why.

granted, I'm as appalled as anyone at the deteriorated conditions our Native population are subject to, but that combined with our economy is hardly enough to warrant a lower 'standard of living' index than the U.S. .. now the reporters are saying the Canadian dip is due to new methods of calculating educational standards. Which is fine I suppose, but only because I know nobody can measure educational standards properly anyway. truly.

of course, conspiracy theorists would blame the whole sars/madcow/qualityoflifereport thing on the cia... or hollywood. thank goodness i'm not one of those theorists <g>.

[Sinner_G]

Nope, it's the Templar Knights! I'm sure the last of them found their refuge in Scandinavia, that's why they are top, and none of them could climb the Swiss mountains (with their healthy fresh and clean air which guarantees a long life) nor stick to our very high educational standard nor step up to our standard of living (the full name being something like Poor Knights of the Temple of Jerusalem, we have no poor people in Switzerland). That's why we are only at #10.

;)